Post navigation

I found my new favorite spring lunch salad while I was hiding from a pot of brisket, which is the kind of thing that happens three days after Passover. Day one (which is actually day two or three after you’ve cooked the brisket, because you know I’d never lead you astray, right?) is lovely: my goodness, why don’t we eat long-cooked, saucy slabs of beef more often? Day two isn’t so bad either, albeit a touch less enthusiastic: yay, brisket. Day three is: my god this isn’t natural, nobody should eat this much brisket, what am I going to do? I cannot waste food. It’s too long into the brisket’s lifespan to freeze it now. And my thoughts turned to the vibrant green asparagus stalks we’d had with it, and that brisket was instantly relegated to a side dish.

I wasn’t even a little bit surprised that I found inspiration for asparagus in the Six Seasons cookbook. Have you bought it yet? I know this is awfully bossy of me, but I think you should. I think that if you, like me, delight in inventive but not overly complicated vegetable preparations (225 of them, even), things you hadn’t thought of but that you’ll immediately tuck into your repertoire, you’re going to love this book as much as I do. I confess I’ve had it for almost a year. In that year, I’ve been almost overwhelmed with how much I’ve wanted to cook from it — a favorite so far has been the comfortable cabbage and farro soup with parmesan and lemon — almost to the point of paralysis, which is as ridiculous of a first-world problem as having too much brisket to eat, but here we are and at least one impasse helped resolve another.

So let’s talk about this dish: It’s been so long since we did an asparagus salad, and only one has been raw, a shame because thinly sliced asparagus is almost sweet and not dry or woodsy at all. Previously, I’ve just ribboned it with a peeler. This is easier, more satisfyingly crisp, and less fragile too. The original recipe uses breadcrumbs to enhance the crunch; I skipped them because I pictured this on toast or crackers but missed them so little, I don’t think I’d add them back in even if eating it straight from a bowl, as I am this minute.

I added the eggs. I call these medium-cooked eggs; feel free to use fully hard-boiled ones if that’s what you’ve gotten idling in your fridge, but I find these more interesting. They’re not runny, but they’re not fully set or opaque in the center either. They amount tender oases in a crunchy salad; all of the flavorful bits stick to them (vs. fully hard-boiled eggs, whose insides crumble and stick to everything else).

I was suspicious of the lemon zest and mint and they’re my two favorite parts. Don’t skip them at all.

Finally, as might already be clear, I didn’t wait until asparagus season in New York to try this, as McFadden would have wanted us to. I have given up, just given up. It snowed in April, and might again before the week is out. When the asparagus shows up at the market, I’ll make it again and realize everything this salad is missing, but right now, when the grocery store is the greenest place I know, I couldn’t imagine another more perfect use of what’s there.

Asparagus and Egg Salad with Walnuts and Mint

Is this a good place to admit that I’m not an asparagus-snapper? This idea that the asparagus knows exactly where to snap to separate the tender parts from the woody ends defies what I’ve experienced, which is that asparagus will snap halfway between your hands, no matter where you place them. [The Asapargus-Snapping Truthers are going to come for me in the comments; I hope they are kind.] I like McFadden’s suggestion more: choose one stalk from the bunch and snap or trim it to the right spot, then line up the remaining stalks and cut them to the same point.

I believe in toasting nuts any time you’re going to use them, and especially here. I am not crazy about grating parmesan with a microplane zester; I find it yields fluffy clouds that can disappear in food and are often half the amount of cheese you’ll need for good flavoring. I have all the unpopular opinions today, I know.

You can peel your eggs under running water if needed but I find when I begin with cold eggs and plunge them into cold water as soon as I want them to stop cooking, the shells come off very easily and was delighted to see this backed up by science

Bring a small/medium pot of water to boil. Gently lower in eggs and reduce heat to a simmer. Boil for 8 1/2 minutes, then quickly transfer eggs to an ice-cold water bath. Leave them there while you prepare the other ingredients, but ideally at least 10 minutes.

Place parmesan, walnuts, and lemon zest in the bottom of a large bowl, along with 1 teaspoon salt, many grind of black pepper, and about 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes (or more or less to taste; I used half because: kids). Stir to combine.

Cut the asparagus on a sharp angle into very thin slices and add to the parmesan mixture. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and toss some more. Taste and adjust the flavors to your preference by adding more salt, black pepper, chile flakes, or lemon juice, and go a little bit heavy, so the flavors don’t disappear once you add the eggs. Add mint and olive oil toss, adjusting seasoning again.

Peel your cooled eggs. Cut in half, then each half into 6 to 8 chunks. Add to bowl with asparagus and give it one or two gentle stirs (I don’t want to get them too mashed up here).

Eat as is, or scoop onto 6 to 8 toasts or 3 large matzo sheets, halved into 6 more manageable “toasts” (obviously this would negate the gluten-free categorization).

161 comments on asparagus and egg salad with walnuts and mint

Thanks Deb! And please keep those cookbook recommendations coming – in this case, bossy is just fine by me … I just picked up “Made in India,” which I learned about from you. Yum yum!! And David Loftus did the photos which makes it even more fab.

Not only is Vibrant India an amazing cookbook but you must — if you will allow me to get a little bossy — purchase some of her Indian pickles (or aachar as we call it) from Brooklyn Delhi (https://brooklyndelhi.com/). They go with everything, and I am now at a point where I can not imagine a meal without them. This is not paid advertising; I just happen to love those pickles.

I am obsessed with Brooklyn Delhi’s Tomato Achar. It is hard to find in San Francisco so I order it by the case. It is a great way to pep up Indian food that lacks heat (to accommodate younger eaters) but it is also divine on an egg sandwich!

I love when you add to what I refer to as your “stuff on toast” category. This is just what I need after two weeks in Portugal…light, saladish, and easy enough to dip my toe back in the waters of cooking.

Snapper here. I find they break at different spots.
Asparagus is practically a religion in these parts. The day after Easter is a holiday in France and is celebrated with an Easter omelette, especially one with fine wild asparagus foraged in the garrigue.
Your salad sounds delicious, and I like the idea of making a tartine out of it.

Deb-
I have two kids- one who will eat anything and the other who is really picky. The picky one refuses to eat eggs unless they are poached. If I eliminated the egg in the salad, could I maybe put a poached egg on top instead? Or not? Maybe I will just make it with the egg in the salad and not share with anyone :)

Isn’t this cookbook dreamy? When I got my hands on it from the library last year the first thing I made was the tonnato tossed with radishes. There seemed to be a moment last year when everything amazing in food was coming out of Maine, this supporting the theory. It’s such a great cookbook – so happy you’re enjoying it.

oh WOW. Your eggs are so beautiful! And you gave the best reason for buying out-of-season asparagus I heard yet!! (I have the best farmer EVER at market and his asparagus is skinny and tender from top to bottom – I never snap). I will be making this.

Also, I don’t know about science, but if you steam your eggs instead of putting them directly into water, they will always always always peel perfectly. So I put them on my veg steamer and start timing when the water under the steamer boils and put them in cold water when they’re done. This even works for the freshest eggs – I have friends with chickens and I have tested it out.

Cooking eggs this way is similar to what Cooks Illustrated suggests and then they show how to peel them by putting them in a Tupperware style bowl with a lid and the ice water they have cooled in and giving it a good shake. I tried it and it worked really well. I hate it when you peel eggs (of course it is more important when you are making deviled eggs then egg salad, but still…) and the whites get all nicked up.

My partner made us his version of this tonight (which is to say looked at the ingredient list and didn’t bother with any measuring or directions) and it turned out great. The flavor profile was really wonderful. We also added some shaved Brussels sprouts that were in need of being used up and it was a nice addition.

Deb, we had tons of roasted lamb and cherry/mint salsa leftover after Easter. Made tacos last night. With leftover halloumi and sautéed swiss chard. Just sayin. That brisket wants to be made into tacos.
And cannot wait to try this asparagus salad, I think I may add a few dashes of tarragon.

I am an asparagus snapper. I don’t mind tossing the woody bits into the compost container because that is ultimately going to enrich our garden soil.
I will try the hot method of making cooked eggs, but to me the key is not using super-fresh eggs. Eggs that have been around for a while peel more easily, always.

I use the grating side of my regular old box grater. I agree with Deb & Margy, microplaning Parmesan doesn’t give the same volume or texture. It’s good if you just want a hint on top of something, but not if you really want the heft of good Parm in your dish.

I do both of the above; food processor for large amounts (and the crumbly shape would be good here) and the second-smallest holes on my box grater most of the time (did so here too). You *can* use a microplane, but definitely use more than 1/2 a cup. I can’t remember which recipe it was but there was one in the last year where I realized that many people who felt it wasn’t cheesy enough were microplaning their parmesan (and it was like 2 to 3 tablespoons, which is barely a microplane wisp). Of course we are talking about the Microplane rasp here, the most popular one. I have them in several shapes with larger holes too. I might have a grater problem.

I have everything needed for this recipe, including the mint! My lunch for today! Not sure the asparagus will be tasty unless blanched slightly. Will taste test before committing. Thanks, as always for your great veggie ideas.

What would you think about adding some herb filled mayo to the mixture? I don’t love the yolk part of hard boiled eggs, a pathetic leftover from childhood. But I can eat egg salad with mayo of any kind. Maybe I could disguise the yolk taste! Because the rest of it sounds divine and spring-like.

I’m heartened to see such a good-looking, Passover-friendly recipe on this week’s blog. I know this isn’t an explicitly Jewish/kosher food blog, but it’s amazing to see a fresh recipe that’s kosher for Passover-friendly so that those of us who observe can switch things up from the usual meat/starch onslaught this time of year. Thanks for the inspiration!

So excited to see more people singing the praises of this incredible book, which I practically sleep with under my pillow, I love it so much. (Is that nerdy?) I completely agree about not waiting on the asparagus anymore. I can’t take the NY weather. But—do you have a secret for getting rid of the sand?? I gave up buying market asaparagus last spring because no matter what I did—rinsing, soaking, rinsing upside down—couldn’t stop the sand. Is there a secret?

I haven’t experienced too much sand, but in general, I am a fan of plunging in cold water and pumping up and down several times for lettuce; for asparagus, I’d run my fingers back and over the tips until I knew they were grit-free. Then, of course, don’t drain the water, but scoop the greens/asparagus out, not touching the bottom where the sand has landed when you do.

Question on the brisket–Is there a point when something can’t be frozen b/c it’s too old? Didn’t seem to me that three days was all that much. I freeze stuff that’s been around that long, but now I’m wondering if I’m making a mistake.

I’m not sure, definitely not a food scientist, but on day three of leftovers mine was already 2+ days older because I made it earlier in the week. (Brisket tastes better after a rest.) It always takes a day to defrost in the fridge, too.

This looks and sounds lovely
Love that there is no mayonnaise
That is how a local cafe here in so cal makes hers and I love how the soft eggs create the creaminess
Thanks for the asparagus, mint, lemon zest, walnut aspect of it!

You don’t even have to tip the scales — I’d go in a heartbeat. I don’t steam or InstantPot or anything else eggs because this method has always worked for me, and it’s so simple to just boil a pot of water.

Deb! Were you peeking in my fridge? Your brisket problem is on par with my ham problem so I was delighted to find this recipe in my inbox. My husband is allergic to nuts so we skipped the walnuts and I didn’t have mint so I substituted dill. It was delicious on toast with a little bit of chopped ham. When I make this again I will probably only do three eggs vs four but your cooking instructions were spot on and my yolks looked just like yours! Thanks again for the inspiration :)

Deb, if you haven’t tried yet you must cook your eggs in the Instant Pot!!! Put the eggs on that little wire rack thingy it comes with and add a cup of water to the bottom. 3 minutes on ‘less’ in the egg cycle (or I’m sure you could just do manual), quick pressure release and into an ice bath/cold water because I don’t have an ice maker. Life changing! No more exploding eggs that I didn’t lower carefully enough into the boiling water, no more water boiling over on my glass top oven making me crazy trying to clean it after, no more babysitting the exact level of simmering so my eggs don’t end up over/under cooked. Perfect eggs every time with no babysitting AND they are a stinking dream to peel after. Love it!!! Can’t wait to try this recipe, looks so yummy as per usual! Thanks :)

I made this last night as the asparagus are perfect in the UK right now and I’m trying to learn to cook more vegetarian food (my new boyfriend is vegetarian and I’m from Texas, so, enough said.) I’ve always loved SK for how you use beautiful produce and everything from scratch but have found myself visiting the blog even more now. This salad was perfect and just what I needed.

We made this with the thinnest asparagus stalks of the bunch, but I forgot about the boiling eggs (because, kids, too) and just ended up mashing it all together with the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, parm, walnuts, and mint. Delicious on toast.

Just made this since I had everything on hand including already cooked eggs!
I liked it! Halved the recipe since it was just me and my husband, but would make again for a party or lunch or brunch. I love things “on toast”!

This is wonderful. I subbed pecans for walnuts. 8.5 minutes wasn’t enough to make the yolks jammy, but the runny yolks ended up contributing to the dressing. Next time I would boil the eggs longer to ensure a harder yolk. Great on toast with a little mayo.

I had both leftover hard-boiled eggs and leftover asparagus from our Easter dinner, so this was a perfect way to use them both! I let the salad sit overnight in the fridge, and I think I preferred it that way, as the asparagus softened slightly and the flavors had a chance to marry. This was hearty but still zingy and fresh; it felt healthy but not abstemious–ideal for spring!

Yum! Just made this recipe exactly as written…delicious! Added a smidge more parmesan but otherwise perfect with a side of toasted country loaf.
And, BTW, I will NEVER make eggs any other way!!! Made eggs the other night (cold eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and chill) and they were impossible to peel. Tonight, no issue at all.

I made this and my fiance kept saying, over and over, “Wow. This is amazing. The flavors just work SO well here. We should make this all the time. Wow.” I have never seen him so effusive about anything other than a chocolate cake. This recipe is a keeper, for sure!

Six Seasons completely rocks my world. My friend and I have had several dinner parties where we cook 5-8 dishes from the book and none of the recipes have turned out to be a dud. Three stand out recipes were the colcannon with watercress butter (my eight year old said it’s the “best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth”); the beet salad with pistachio butter; and the radish/tonnato salad. The kale sauce with pasta is also shockingly simple, easy and delicious. Now I’m salivating. . .

I just made this, but I didn’t have parsley or mint, and my walnuts smelled expired, so I didn’t use any of those things. (I added some dill but I don’t think it was enough to make any difference.) Maybe it would be better if I hadn’t skipped so many flavorful things, but it was delicious anyhow! Definitely adding this to the spring rotation. Thanks, Deb!

I made this tonight. Really delicious! I could have used more mint, more asparagus, less cheese. (I grated my cheese in the Cuisinart with regular blade, so it’s not very fluffy. Next time I’ll use a grater and stay with the 1/4 cup specified). My asparagus is not as vibrant green as yours – probably due to the lemon juice. For a pretty presentation I’ll hold the lemon juice and mint until just before serving.
Still. DALISHUS.

This is so delicious — I love how fresh and different these flavors are together! I served mine over plain bulgur which worked well, and just had to slip an extra egg in there too. And I have to agree about the whole Microplane business as well — I keep trying to make it work, thinking I must somehow be alone in my struggle, so thanks for coming clean! 😉

I think the olive oil could be scaled back quite a bit. When I taste tested before adding the olive oil, I liked it already. After adding the oil, it turned into a slippery, flavor muted salad. I think I’d like this better with other raw veggies – fresh spring peas, shaved brussel sprouts…Raw asparagus isn’t my thing, it turns out, but I loved the flavor combo of toasted walnuts + mint + lemon.

This recipe is absolutely divine! I had some left over mint and this inspired me to do this recipe. It was the perfect combo with my husband’s freshly prepared bread. Sunday lunch was a hit! I must admit that I didn’t know that you can eat asparagus raw but they have this wonderful nutty flavor. Will definitely make this again and again! Thanks for posting this recipe Deb!

Despite my all-out faith in the SK recipes, I admit I had a little hesitation with the raw asparagus element and the amount of mint. (I’m not a huge mint fan.) I hang my head in shame. This is bright and delicious, and makes me hopeful spring will arrive in temperature in NYC soon. (At least we have sunshine today . . . before potential snow tonight.) I paired this with the farro (minus tomatoes) from One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes (https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/07/one-pan-farro-with-tomatoes/) and am a very happy camper, even mixing the two together for a leftover room-temperature lunch today.

This is absolutely delicious–the kind of egg salad I’d have at some sort of cool deli and then talk about forever. Now it can be mine whenever! We had leftover green beans–also raw–and I threw them in along with the asparagus. It was great.
Thanks, Deb!

I made this last night and put it on toast. Not only did it come together so quickly, but it was exactly the refreshing “can we please pretend it is actually spring weather outside” meal I’ve been looking for! Thanks for this and the cookbook recommendation – yours need some company on the shelf :)

Made these yesterday for dinner and really liked it. But I did blanch the asparagus a bit. Not too crazy about uncooked asparagus. Also, next time I would probably do less lemon juice and use tarragon instead of mint.

I just finished eating this for dinner (on a split baguette) and it is fantastic! I made a double batch so I can eat it again tomorrow. My boyfriend underboiled the eggs because he didn’t realize they were for egg salad so we had to (gasp) microwave them (just enough to firm the yolks and luckily not into rubber-egg territory); despite this hitch, it tastes awesome and I will be making this again for sure!

This was to die for! So delicious and not all that hard for the amount of flavor produced. Made it for my mother-in-law and husband and they both loved it too. I’ve never had asparagus prepared this way and it’s definitely going in the rotation.

Just made a very loose version of this and it was great! I didn’t have all of the ingredients (quite shameful of me since they’re all quite basic), but I was raging hungry and had asparagus and eggs so decided to give it a go anyways. Of course I recommend everyone follow your recipe because it is sure to be sublime, but here are my modifications: no walnuts, olive oil, or mint. Only about a tablespoon of Parmesan. Even with all this missing it was a tasty, filling supper that I would make again in a heartbeat! Ate it straight out of the bowl. Can’t wait to try it properly in the future, I imagine it would absolutely sing.

I made this last night because I desperately needed a change after three dinners in a row that consisted of beef (burger, bbq brisket sandwich, steak au poivre) and fries. It was a perfect light spring meal, accompanied by a few slices of baguette with cultured butter. I’m tempted to make a second batch to use up the rest of the mint.

I made this tonight. In general I liked it (especially the lemoniness and the soft yolks) but the raw asparagus didn’t do it for me. In small quantities it might be okay but I made this as the meal. I’ll make it again, but next time I’ll steam or roast the asparagus, make a sauce out of the rest of the ingredients, and top it with the eggs. Yum!

I made this! It was delicious both day of and the day after. Boiled the eggs only 8 minutes and should have given them another 30 seconds, but I was just too hungry! :) Second day I heaped it onto some fresh greens, gave it an extra drizzle of olive oil, and it was just a perfect lunch. Lovely!

Didn’t have walnuts, so used Trader Joe’s chili lime cashews instead. So, so good. The time suggested for cooking eggs worked perfectly. The suggestion of tasting before adding mint, oil and eggs spot on. More is better. Thanks Deb for this deliciousness on its own or on toast.

Effective love spell to get lost lover back/stop divorce/save broken marriage DR_MACK@ ( YAHOO. ) COM, is the best on urgent love spell casting with 100% result guarantee I am from CA USA my boyfriend cheated on me and asked for breakup. I don’t believe at first i try to get back with him but all he told me was he’s with someone else. that he is no longer interested in marrying me at that point i was heart broken coz i love my boyfriend so much that i could not let go off him all of a sudden he left me, i really love him and never can imagine my life without him. not until i came across a powerful real spell caster Dr Mack who promise me 48hours urgent love spell to get back with my boyfriend, good forty-eight {48} hours. hmm-mm, it was a good night time at 10:05pm within the days that Dr Mack told me that my boyfriend will be back, at first i heard the bell rings getting close to my door i heard someone saying honey!!!, it sound familiar i opened the door and i saw my boyfriend standing and weeping in front of me. i was not surprised because its all i have been praying for him to come back home. Guess what in six days after i noticed my system and my body temperature is changed and i went to clinic for check up and the doctor told me that there is life in me which means i am pregnant i really wants to use this opportunity to thanks Dr Mack so much and my lovely collage who directed me to Dr Mack if you have any problem or predicament that is worse or exactly like this you have been into,

I happened to make a variant of this salad based on the Six Seasons recipe for a snap pea/egg/new potato salad, which uses sardines rather than parmesan as the primary source of salty punchiness. I prefer the snap pea + new potato combination because it feels more substantial and filling than just asparagus. But after trying it with sardines, I think parmesan will be more up my alley.

Made this for dinner last night – really good! The only changes I made were a quick blanch of the asparagus and dried mint instead of fresh. Easy summery meal. Looking forward to having the leftovers for lunch. Thanks Deb!

This was WONDERFUL. Loved it. Just made it for one….moi…and had it for a light supper. Am doing low carb and had it over kelp “noodles” (the ones that look like they are made from glass). That worked well, but I think it would be killer over some dressed Bibb lettuce.

So tasty. Every ingredient adds a different flavor component. Was surprised how great the walnuts were in this….and the egg. So yummy

Is there a trick to slicing my asparagus on a sharp angle? I first made the 6 seasons recipe and tried cutting at a sharp angle, failed miserably and it STILL took a long time. What trick am I missing to make this less tedious and keep me out of the ER?

I thnk you are making it more complicated than it needs to be. Just lay down 5-7 stalks of asparagus at a time all touching each other (with the tough bottoms already trimmed or broken off ) and cut the whole bunch with the knife at a 45 degree angle left to right….and do that along the length of the bunch at 1 1/2 inch intervals. You should get 4 to 5 1 1/2 pieces that way.

This combination is delicious. I use the recipe as more of a template and use whatever green herb I have, for example green garlic or scallions instead of mint and parsley. The ingredients don’t need measuring so I increase the proportiom of eggs if I need a more substantial meal.

Wondered what was good to go in my south central Texas garden for lunch today. Asparagus✅ Mint✅ Walnuts..no. But native Texas pecans in freezer that grow in the Colorado River bottom across the road ✅ Eggs (yard eggs) from my friend✅ Other ingredients ✅. On, of course, toasted Texas Toast! Thank you, Smitten Kitchen!

Love your ever changing site, your many wonderful recipes, great photos of your food. I had just cooked a beef brisket in my slow cooker last weekend, Then cruising around your site I found your recipe for asparagus & egg salad. It was a match made in heaven! We have daily farmer’s markets, year around … practically next door … so fresh veggies are always readily available. Baby asparagus is one of my favs, so I followed your lead and made your salad and as you suggested, used the brisket on the side. Thanks so much for your continually updated site and all your wonderful ideas. I’ll be back and back and back!
Aloha ~~~ Nancy On Maui

I fell in love with you when I read “I believe in toasting nuts any time you’re going to use them, …”
I totally agree. Makes a big difference in good way.
Some of my friends or coworkers just throw the nuts in the bowl right out of the bag and they have the unmitigated gall to think I am anal-retentive when I even suggest or want to toast them! THANK YOU!

Another Smitten Kitchen win! It’s 2020 quarantine, so we had to make do with a few substitutions — chives, pistachios and feta — and it was amazing. Fantastic on lightly buttered, toasted wheat sourdough.

I miraculously had almost everything on hand for this, and made it last night with the following tweaks: swapped toasted pecans for the walnuts, subbed orange zest for the lemon zest (but used an already zested lemon for the juice), and added chopped chives in addition to the mint. I spooned it over the remnants of a cubed almost-stale sourdough miche from Shewolf and had it panzanella style with a couple more glugs of olive oil.

I made this and I’m clearly in the minority but I didn’t love the addition of the eggs. Just the raw asparagus salad was great when I tasted it, but after the eggs were added I just didn’t love the combination. This might also be because 8.5 minutes for me made the eggs still slightly runny- not my favorite texture for eggs in a salad. If anyone has any doubts, feel free to stick to the salad without the eggs and it’ll turn out zingy and great alone (as McFadden apparently intended)